Oil and gas wells have significant downhole electrical power needs. Pumps, valves, sensors, and the like—all require power to function. This power can be consumed continuously and/or in discrete intervals. This power is typically supplied to a downhole well environment via tubing encapsulated cable (from the surface) or in situ via batteries. Unfortunately, either scenario requires the frequent insertion and removal of equipment from the well which, in turn, leads to a reduction in efficiency.
Regarding above-mentioned cabled power scenarios, there are significant reliability concerns—particularly around the breakage of long lengths of cable. Additionally, cables require holes in the packers, which can correspondingly decrease the pressure rating of any such packer through which they pass.
In terms of such above-mentioned battery-powered scenarios, batteries utilized for such purposes will invariably have a finite life, thereby requiring intervention when they fail. Associated intervention costs and protocols would typically entail running wireline down the well to change out the batteries, which in turn would likely result in lost production time (i.e., production would likely have to be halted).
In view of the foregoing, new methods and/or systems by which electrical power can be generated (and used) downhole would be extremely useful—particularly wherein it reduces the frequency in which equipment is inserted and/or removed from the well.